Agriculture Commissioner James Comer beside his wife, T.J., as he announces his bid for governor.

Credit Alix Mattingly/WFPL News

FANCY FARM—Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner James Comer officially announced his bid for governor Saturday at the 134th annual Fancy Farm political picnic. He’s the third candidate to launch an gubernatorial bid in the 2015 race.

"It’s been my dream come true to be your commissioner of agriculture," Comer said before a packed audience at the St. Jerome Church picnic grounds. "And I view the people of Western Kentucky as our family. So [my wife] T.J. and I have chosen this time, and this place, to say to all of you, I will be a candidate for governor in 2015."

The announcement now pits Comer, a Republican who succeeded Richie Farmer in 2012, against Hal Heiner, a Republican who narrowly lost to Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer in a 2010 election.

Thus far, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway is the lone Democratic candidate in the race.

In his Fancy Farm speech, Conway neglected the looming specter of a Comer candidacy—nor did he address Heiner—in lieu of trumpeting his accomplishments as attorney general; namely his office’s successes in combating online child pornography and cracking down on prescription pain pill abuse, he said.

Comer said he will officially file his paperwork Sept. 9 at an inaugural campaign event in Tompkinsville, Ky. According to Kentucky law, gubernatorial candidates must include a lieutenant governor in their ticket when they file their candidacy.

Speculation has centered on Sen. Chris McDaniel, a Republican state senator from Taylor Mill who owns a construction business. Elected in 2012, McDaniel is also chairman state Senate’s Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Finance, and Public Protection.

"You know, people have a lot of rumors out there," McDaniel said, adding that he’s been in talks with Comer about joining the ticket. "But, you know, right now I’m focused on doing my job in the Senate, I obviously own a business back home, and we’ve got a lot of races ahead of us this fall, so we’ll look forward to those."

Comer took aim at Heiner in his Fancy Farm speech, saying that the next governor won’t be "a millionaire from Louisville."

Comer denied that the comment suggests that his campaign is attempting to employ an urban-rural schism between himself and Heiner and Conway, both of whom live in Louisville."

"I’ve got a lot of support in Louisville," Comer said.

Heiner was not permitted to speak at this year’s event. Fancy Farm political director Mark Wilson said the event only allows sitting elected officials to speak. But just last year, GOP Senate candidate Matt Bevin, a conservative bell manufacturer who lost a primary race against U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell earlier this year, spoke at 2013’s picnic.

Bevin was also making rounds at Saturday’s picnic, and said he’s considering a running for governor, too.

Kentucky Hemp Coalition

QUOTE
“That's my goal as AG Commissioner to continue to build new markets for new agricultural crops and that industrial hemp is a viable option for Kentucky. We know it will grow well in this climate. Used to be the leading crop in Kentucky,”
Agriculture Commissioner
James Comer
kentuckyhempcoalition.
blogspot.com/

A Democracy

"A Democracy is when two wolves

and a sheep take a vote on what's

for dinner. A Republic is when the

sheep is well armed and can beg to

differ with the vote.

" Benjamin Franklin"

22 years ago...
Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man.
...
The judge recommends that the Administrator transfer marijuana from Schedule I to
Schedule II.

Francis L. Young
Administrative Law Judge
September 6, 1988
Docket No. 86-22
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Drug Enforcement Administration
33 years ago...
"Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against the possession of marijuana in private for personal use."

President Jimmy Carter
Message to Congress
August 2, 1977

Kentucky, “Dark and Dangerous Ground”

The Dark and Bloody Ground

The popular belief that the name Kentucky means "Dark and Bloody Ground" is apparently without foundation. Yet through the years, the image has persisted in literary and oral tradition as a description of the Kentucky country.

One traditional explanation sites Delaware legend in which the ancient tribe of the Lenni-Lanape allied with the Iroquois to fight the Allegewi, the original inhabitants of Kentucky. In a single bloody battle the Allegewi were virtually exterminated. The land where an entire nation had been eradicated became known as the "dark and bloody ground". The violent clashes between the Iroquois and the southern Indians only helped reinforce the image.

In his book, "Historical Sketches of Kentucky" (1874), Richard H. Collins says that a northern Indian once asked Indian fighter Joseph H. Daveiss how white men could live in land that had seen so much bloodshed. The Indian said that the ghosts of those killed in the Indian wars haunted the land making it dangerous.

At the execution of the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals the Cherokee Cheif Dragging Canoe is said to have told Col. Richard Henderson that the lands south of the Kentucky river were "bloody ground"and would be "dark and difficult to settle". However Ruben T. Durrett said in his book, "The Centenary of Kentucky"(1892) that the phrase was used to discourage Henderson from purchasing the land.

Our Environment

Toxic chemicals in our environment, such as mercury, lead, and certain manmade chemicals, have been linked to cancer, birth defects and brain impairments. Reducing or eliminating the load of these dangerous chemicals in the products we buy, the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink can help reduce the toll of human disease and suffering.

http://www.nrdc.org/health/default.asp

PLEASE DO NOT USE!

PLEASE DO NOT USE SO CALLED "SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA" OR "SPICE" SOLD UNDER AN EVER INCREASING VARIETY OF NAMES!
IT IS NOT MARIJUANA AT ALL AND I AM INSULTED THAT THE WORDS SYNTHETIC MARIJUANA ARE USED TO DESCRIBE THESE SUBSTANCES! "FAKE DRUGS" WOULD SUFFICE!
THEY KILL!
PLEASE COPY AND OPEN THE LINK BELOW TO READ ONE STORY ABOUT THESE "FAKE DRUGS"!
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/60e0b41dcfeb4c8896f89c4a7409dc99/KY--Synthetic-Drugs/
PARENTS, WATCH YOUR CHILDREN! BETTER TO OFFER THEM THE REAL THING THAN TAKE A CHANCE ON THEM GETTING A HOLD OF SUCH GOD-AWFUL SUBSTANCES!
"...Officials said the powdery substance sold as bath salts mimic the effects of cocaine, ecstasy and LSD. It can be snorted, injected or mixed with drinks for food. The chemicals can cause hallucinations, paranoia, rapid heart rates, violent behavior and suicidal thoughts.
Synthetic marijuana contains organic leaves coated with chemicals that provide a marijuana-like high when smoked. The product is marketed under various brands include Spice and K2.
The synthetic drugs can be purchased on the Internet and in some tobacco and smoke shops, drug paraphernalia shops, gas stations and convenience stores..."
OF NOTE: THESE PRODUCTS ARE MOST OFTEN USED BY THOSE WHO ARE FORCED TO SUBMIT TO "DRUG TESTIING"....
THAT IS WHY THAT THEY HAVE BECOME SO POPULAR ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT THEY ARE READILY AVAILABLE FOR SALE TO MINORS - OR SOMEONE WHO WOULD PURCHASE FOR A MINOR.
THIS HAS TO STOP!

DefenseNews.comMcConnell Warns of Bad Deal With IranDefenseNews.comTEL AVIV, Israel — With the deadline on an interim nuclear agreement with Iran less than 48 hours away, a US Senate delegation led by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., visiting here Sunday joined Israeli officials to sound the alarm about an ...VIDEO: PM Netanyahu Meets with Delegation […]

PoliticoLarry Tribe and Mitch McConnells Flagrant Constitutional ErrorPoliticoWhen Mitch McConnell sent his recent letter to the nation's governors urging them to ignore the White House's upcoming clean-power rules, it was striking for two reasons. First, as the headlines pointed out, it's a dramatic moment when a congressional ...Taking Note […]

Slate MagazineWill Loretta Lynch Ever Get Confirmed?Slate MagazineMajority Leader Mitch McConnell promised in January to give Lynch the “courtesy of a vote,” and there was little reason to doubt she'd ultimately be approved if given the chance. The upper chamber, after all, had voted unanimously in 1999 and in 2010 ...Black Women March To Sen. Mitch McC […]

National JournalMatt Bevin Struggles to Stand Out Without Mitch McConnell as FoilNational JournalMitch McConnell in a primary last year, and McConnell spared no expense crushing his rival. The year before becoming Senate majority leader, McConnell and his team criticized Bevin for a LinkedIn profile claiming that he graduated from MIT (he didn't), ...an […]

CNNMcConnell: No Lynch vote unless Democrats relent on billCNNREAD: Mitch McConnell rebukes Iran letter controversy. Democrats are now holding up the trafficking bill, which glided through the judiciary committee, after they noticed an abortion provision embedded in the bill that would prevent victims of human ...Jon Stewart slams 'disingenuous' Mi […]

PoliticoRon Paul supporters bolt Rand Paul campPoliticoThat network of committed supporters was expected to convey to Paul, the natural successor to Ron Paul's libertarian movement, providing him with a plug-and-play ground organization in the make-or-break early voting states. But instead of embracing the ...Ron Paul supporters turn their backs on Rand […]

Antiwar.com (blog)Why Ron Paul is Right about UkraineAntiwar.com (blog)Some of these same libertarians supported Ron Paul in 2008 and 2012, and presumably laughed along with the rest of us when the neocons tried to paint him as “pro-Saddam” for opposing the Iraq War and for debunking the lies and distortions that were ...

RTRon Paul: IMF Policies on Ukraine are IrresponsibleSputnik International"A responsible financial institution would not extend a new loan of between 17 and 40 billion dollars to a borrow already struggling to pay back an existing multi-billion dollar loan," former US presidential candidate Ron Paul writes in a piece for the ...Repeal, Don't R […]

SalonMy libertarian vacation nightmare: How Ayn Rand, Ron Paul & their groupies ...SalonI read the books by Charles Murray and have an autographed copy of Ron Paul's “The Revolution.” The thread that links all the disparate books and ideas is that they fail in practice. Eliminate all taxes, privatize everything, load a country up with ...and more » […]

To celebrate Gov. Steve Beshear’s proclamation that April is Financial Literacy Month, the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) will host free public educational events and other activities all month. “DFI believes strongly that financial literacy – the ability to manage financial resources effectively – is important for all ages,” said DFI Deputy Comm […]

MOREHEAD, Ky. (March 30, 2015) – How important is the aviation/aerospace industry to Kentucky’s economy? Thanks to action by Gov. Steve Beshear and the Kentucky Legislature, the question will soon be answered.

To celebrate Gov. Steve Beshear’s proclamation that April is Financial Literacy Month, the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) will host free public educational events and other activities all month. “DFI believes strongly that financial literacy – the ability to manage financial resources effectively – is important for all ages,” said DFI Deputy Comm […]

The Kentucky Local Correction Facilities Construction Authority will meet at 1 p.m. on April 2, 2015 in Room 154 of the Capitol Annex in Frankfort. Pamela Trautner(502) 564-4240(859) 552-3475pamela.trautner@ky.gov

Governor Steve Beshear today joined local and state leaders to ceremonially sign House Bill 232, which supports the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics at Morehead State University. Kerri RichardsonTerry Sebastian502-564-2611

… idea of industrial hemp farming in Kentucky, so long as our farmers receive a waiver from the feder … However, putting hemp seeds into Kentucky soil is simply not legal at this time. … about industrial hemp farming in Kentucky.http://ag.ky.gov/bio/trackjack/2013/pages/september-27.aspx - 53KB […]

Agenda Item D-2 LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP May 22, 2000 In addition to the biennial budget (discussed in Agenda Item G-3), several important pieces of legislation were passed in the last few days of the session. … http://cpe.ky.gov/nr/rdonlyres/58e375da-9ead-420f-aa48-dfd58a523d21/0/agendad_2.pdf - 43KB

Assistance to Central America TestimonyWilliam R. BrownfieldAssistant Secretary, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Statement Before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Washington, DC March 24, 2015 Chairwoman Granger, Ranking Member Lowey, and distinguished Members of the Subcom […]

U.S. Department of State Launches First Partnership With State-Level Supreme Court Media NoteOffice of the Spokesperson Washington, DC March 17, 2015 Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) William R. Brownfield signed a partnership agreement today with the Louisiana Supreme Court marking the first such Depa […]

Weather and Short Session Challenge 2015 Kentucky General Assembly by Ruth Bamberger, Legislative Committee ChairCumberland Chapter, Sierra Club This year should go down as one of the most unproductive sessions of the KY General Assembly, and nature ironically had a … Continue reading →

ALERT: DUE TO WEATHER – THIS MARCH 5TH HEARING IS CANCELLED – POSTPONED The Clean Energy Opportunity Act, HB229 (see below for details on this bill), was scheduled to receive a hearing today (March 5, 2015), but due to inclement … Continue reading →

by Ruth Bamberger, Legislative Committee Chair Cumberland Chapter, Sierra Club The Kentucky General Assembly officially opened January 6th with the swearing in of all 100 Representatives and 37 Senators. The Democrats have a 54-46 edge in the House and the … Continue reading →

Bangkok, March 31, 2015--Police have detained three editors and two executives of The Malaysian Insider news portal in Malaysia's Kelantan state and accused them of sedition, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls for the immediate and unconditional release of those arrested.

New York, March 30, 2015--The Committee to Protect Journalists denounces the deportation from Kyrgyzstan on Saturday of American freelancer Umar Farooq, who was detained and interrogated by Kyrgyz security services last week, according to news reports.

March 30, 2015, New York--Bangladeshi authorities should investigate the murder of a blogger in the capital, Dhaka, and hold the perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Washiqur Rahman Babu is the second blogger to be hacked to death in public in Bangladesh in the past five weeks.

New York, March 27, 2015--The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned for the safety of Yemeni journalists amid escalating violence in the country. Houthi forces have raided news outlets, detained journalists, and banned websites, while satellite TV operators ceased to broadcast stations that recently came under Houthi control, according to news report […]

It was a sad situation that I do not have all the details of. Long story short, after he was in jail in Arizona - was in the Yavapai County Jail for over 3 months and did not have access to the "oil" whereby he became very ill. They let him out and he was brought back to KY for treatment and when he thought he was well enough he left here and retur […]

I am a Kentucky veteran with PTSD. I've used pot in the past to help me deal with things from 1967 when I was in Vietnam until 2ooo something. In 1970 I was in the Louisville, Ky. V.A.M.C. for what became PTSD all they did for me was too fill me full of drugs. Drugs like those only make you homeless. Pot let me make some money doing small home repair. A […]

Quotes

If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin. Samuel Adams 1776

If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so.
- Thomas Jefferson

“I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky.” -- Abraham Lincoln

“Tough girls come from New York. Sweet girls, they're from Georgia. But us Kentucky girls, we have fire and ice in our blood. We can ride horses, be a debutante, throw left hooks, and drink with the boys, all the while making sweet tea, darlin'. And if we have an opinion, you know you're gonna hear it.” -- Ashley Judd